The portable air conditioner was designed for use primarily in law enforcement surveillance units. However, it is useful as well in every day vans, campers, boats, automobiles and could even be used in tents or similar enclosures.
Surveillance units are normally converted vans equipped with sophisticated electronic eavesdropping devices. Since most surveillances are covert in nature, a vehicle sitting in a parking lot should look as normal as possible. Although most surveillance vans have factory installed air conditioners, these devices are operable only when the van engine is running. Exhaust and noise from the engine detract from, and could give away, the covert operation with disastrous consequences. The time spent in setting up equipment, testing and plain waiting for suspects to arrive, or for the occurence to conclude, may encompass hours.
The temperature of an enclosed van on a hot summer day in bright sun can reach 160 to 180 degrees F., which is not only uncomfortable and dangerous to the surveillance personnel, but could damage the high technology equipment or cause it to malfunction.
Custom made and expensive surveillance vans have in the past employed battery powered air conditioners, but these air conditioners utilize dry ice, not natural ice. Dry ice (CO.sub.2) is often difficult to obtain, and expensive, and because of the chemical additives used, often contain toxic vapors. There has continued to be a problem in obtaining a portable battery powered air conditioner using easily obtained ice that is simple to operate and maintain at a low cost.